ESSER III Information
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) signed into law on March 11, 2021 provided nearly $122 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER). ARP ESSER funds are provided to State educational agencies in the same proportion as each State received under Title I-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in fiscal year 2020. Anna ISD will receive around 1.6 million dollars of these federal funds. We are currently in the process of gathering preliminary data from multiple stakeholders to guide and support the instructional and expenditure plan. Meaningful consultations with stakeholders will be implemented through the course of the academic year. These consultation touch points are in effort to strategically update and evaluate the use of these federal funds.
As required by ESSER III grant guidelines, Anna ISD sought stakeholder input to prepare to address the needs of students and staff though school/community surveys, district planning committee and school board meetings. Parents, students, staff and community members identified the following as priorities: intervention curriculum resources; increased support for social and emotional learning; improving technology and instructional resources; and additional personnel for reading intervention.
-Updated July 2022
Anna ISD ESSER III Use of Funds Overview - English and Spanish
Anna ISD ESSER III Use of Funds Plan - English
Anna ISD ESSER III - Plan de Uso De Fondos
Anna ISD Plan for Safe Return to In-person Instruction and Continuity of Service
ESSER III FAQs
Will the state provide replacement funds for ESSER after 2023?
Since the large influx of ESSER funding into LEAs can result in funding deficits when it ends, the LEA must plan for how to effectively and efficiently use the ESSER funds. It is recommended to use the ESSER grant funds for one-time or short-term expenditures to address the identified needs caused by the pandemic. Although long-term uses of the ESSER funds are also allowable, these types of uses may cause the LEA to not have funding to continue these activities after the ESSER period of availability ends, thus creating fiscal deficits.
What are some of the allowable uses of the ARP ESSER III funds?
ESSER funds are designated to be used in any or all of 15 buckets, which include addressing learning loss, providing professional development, improving indoor air quality, providing social and emotional supports, updating and providing technology, and others (FAQ from TEA)
Are there recommended uses of ESSER III funds that will assist LEAs in addressing the impact of the COVID pandemic and disruptions leading to learning loss?
While keeping in mind the purpose and requirements under ESSER III related to accelerating student learning, TEA strongly encourages school systems to plan for how to use these one-time federal funds expeditiously over the entire covered period to facilitate a more comprehensive long-term approach to learning acceleration. This may include aligned strategies that are currently part of a district’s current plans and strategies. A qualitative review of draft local learning acceleration plans revealed the following trends and suggestions, including but not limited to:
- Professional Development: comprehensive Reading Academies, high-quality instructional materials, dyslexia training, professional development stipends, technology integration training;
- Extended Instructional Time: extended day, extended year, high-dosage tutoring, summer learning;
- Staffing: tutors, reduced class sizes, small group instruction, staff retention and recruitment incentive pay, after school enrichment programs, instructional coaching and leadership;
- Facilities: ventilation, cleaning, HVAC systems, specialized instructional spaces;
- Technology: devices, infrastructure upgrades, learning management systems, digital tools, educational application;
- Mental Health and Behavioral Supports: social workers, at-risk coordinators, additional counseling services, teacher training and programming, wrap-around and community partnerships.
Are the ESSER III funds required to be used for specific purposes?
Yes, LEAs must expend a minimum of 20 percent of their grant funds on:
- Evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning, extended day comprehensive after school programs, or extended school year programs; and
- Ensure interventions respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs and address the disproportionate impact of coronavirus on student populations as defined in ESEA, Title I, Part A, students experiencing homelessness, and youth in foster care.
What are the federal requirements around the LEA ESSER III Use of Funds Plan?
The LEA must engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders and give the public an opportunity to provide input in the development of its plan for the uses of ARP ESSER III funds.
The LEA must provide its plan for the uses of ARP ESSER III funds in an understandable and uniform format.
The LEA’s plan for the uses of ARP ESSER III funds will be posted to the LEA’s website within 30 days of receiving its ESSER III Notice of Grant Award.
Funds may be used for allowable activities from March 13, 2020 (with approved pre-award) through Sept. 30, 2023.
How much funding is available to Texas LEAs?
Grant allocations will be posted on the Grants Administration Entitlements web page.
What is the purpose of the ARP ESSER III funds?
A total of $12,418,588,778 is available to the state. Ninety percent, or $11,176,729,900, will be awarded to eligible LEAs. Note that only two-thirds of the total state allocation ($8,279,059,186) is available at this time.